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New England police union endorses Donald Trump

Trump promises to expand capital punishment to protect law enforcement if elected

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Updated: 12:01 AM EST Dec 11, 2015

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has received the endorsement of a New England union that represents police and corrections officers.

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New England police union endorses Donald Trump

Trump promises to expand capital punishment to protect law enforcement if elected

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Updated: 12:01 AM EST Dec 11, 2015

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has received the endorsement of a New England union that represents police and corrections officers.Click to watch News 9's coverageThe Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside was packed with supporters to see Trump, but the private event also attracted dozens of protesters, outraged by the billionaire businessman's proposal.The New England Police Benevolent Association's executive board voted Thursday evening to support the billionaire businessman, who has been leading opinion surveys.Trump called the endorsement “a great honor.”He said too many officers are killed in the line of duty, and that if he becomes president, he will sign an executive order expanding capital punishment to protect law enforcement.“Anybody killing a police officer: death penalty. It’s going to happen, OK? We can’t let this go,” said Trump.Union executive director Jerry Flynn says the benevolent association represents nearly 5,000 members from about 200 locals across the region.The backing comes as Trump remains under scrutiny for his call for a ban all Muslims from entering the United States "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on."The proposal has been panned as xenophobic and un-American by many of Trump's rivals, Republican leaders and others around the world.Trump claims that the press has now come around to the idea, like he says pundits did after his controversial comments about Mexican illegal immigrants.Flynn said the police union did not consider Trump's rhetoric regarding Muslims while they were voting.“When I talked about what I said the other day, all of a sudden, I'm watching the shows this morning, and I'm watching the shows tonight, 'Well you know, Trump has a point. The visa system is not working,’” said Trump. When asked if the organization had any Muslim-American police officers, Flynn said he did not want to comment.“I’m not going to get into that. I got Jewish people. I'm not going to get into that. This isn't a religious thing. This is a law enforcement thing. We all bleed blue. So I'm not going to get into that rhetoric. That's ridiculous, and at this point, we're moving forward. We supported the candidate, and we're on board,” said Flynn.Fans of trump in Portsmouth said they like Trump because of his controversial comments, not in spite of them.“We just can't afford anymore to be so politically correct,” said Trump.In the latest WMUR/CNN Granite State poll released Monday, 32 percent of likely voters said that they will vote for Trump in the first-in-the-nation primary.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. —

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has received the endorsement of a New England union that represents police and corrections officers.

The Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside was packed with supporters to see Trump, but the private event also attracted dozens of protesters, outraged by the billionaire businessman's proposal.

The New England Police Benevolent Association's executive board voted Thursday evening to support the billionaire businessman, who has been leading opinion surveys.

Trump called the endorsement “a great honor.”

He said too many officers are killed in the line of duty, and that if he becomes president, he will sign an executive order expanding capital punishment to protect law enforcement.

“Anybody killing a police officer: death penalty. It’s going to happen, OK? We can’t let this go,” said Trump.

Union executive director Jerry Flynn says the benevolent association represents nearly 5,000 members from about 200 locals across the region.

The backing comes as Trump remains under scrutiny for his call for a ban all Muslims from entering the United States "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on."

The proposal has been panned as xenophobic and un-American by many of Trump's rivals, Republican leaders and others around the world.

Trump claims that the press has now come around to the idea, like he says pundits did after his controversial comments about Mexican illegal immigrants.

Flynn said the police union did not consider Trump's rhetoric regarding Muslims while they were voting.

“When I talked about what I said the other day, all of a sudden, I'm watching the shows this morning, and I'm watching the shows tonight, 'Well you know, Trump has a point. The visa system is not working,’” said Trump.

When asked if the organization had any Muslim-American police officers, Flynn said he did not want to comment.

“I’m not going to get into that. I got Jewish people. I'm not going to get into that. This isn't a religious thing. This is a law enforcement thing. We all bleed blue. So I'm not going to get into that rhetoric. That's ridiculous, and at this point, we're moving forward. We supported the candidate, and we're on board,” said Flynn.

Fans of trump in Portsmouth said they like Trump because of his controversial comments, not in spite of them.

“We just can't afford anymore to be so politically correct,” said Trump.

In the latest WMUR/CNN Granite State poll released Monday, 32 percent of likely voters said that they will vote for Trump in the first-in-the-nation primary.